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Monday, January 25, 2010

After making traditional enchiladas and loving them as much as we do, I was super excited to see Enchiladas Verdes in one of my issues of Cook's Illustrated. I absolutely love tomatillo salsa, and I honestly can't believe I haven't blogged it yet! I will have to make a point to do it soon.

These enchiladas are made by a similar method to the red chile ones. The chicken is poached in a flavorful broth, then mixed with fresh tomatillo sauce, cheese, and cilantro, and wrapped in corn tortillas and topped with more sauce and cheese. Poblano chiles are used for smoky heat, but if you want a spicier kick, feel free to add some jalapenos as well. I can't necessarily say that I like these more than the traditional ones, but they are really really delicious. We both enjoyed these, and can't wait to make them again.

Adjust the oven racks to the middle and highest position, and turn on the broiler.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently until golden, 8-10 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons of the garlic and the cumin. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Decrease the heat to medium-low, and stir in the broth. Add the chicken, cover, and cook until an internal temperature of 160-165 has been reached, 15-20 minutes. Halfway through cooking, flip the chicken in the broth.

Remove from heat, and transfer the chicken to a bowl to cool. Reserve 1/4 cup of the broth, and strain the liquid, reserving the onions and garlic for the filling. Discard the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, toss the tomatillos and chiles with remaining 2 teaspoons of oil; Scatter on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, with the peppers skin-side up. Broil until they blacken and soften, 5-10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the skin from the chiles. Transfer the chiles and tomatillos to a food processor, and add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic, and the reserved cooking liquid. Pulse until the sauce is thick and chunky, about 8 pulses. Season with salt and pepper, and adust the tartness by adding the remaining sugar, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Set the sauce aside.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and combine with cilantro, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, the onions and garlic, and 1/3 cup of the tomatillo sauce. Toss to combine and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Stack the tortillas on a microwave safe plate, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until the tortillas are soft and pliable.

Spread 3/4 cup of the tomatillo sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup of chicken filling, and roll tightly. Lay the tortillas in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, and spread it with a spoon to coat each tortilla. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cover with foil.

Bake the enchiladas on the middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Top with scallions and cilantro, and serve immediately.

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